Reinforced knockdown box



May 1, 1951 wpAfRlNGLER 2,551,164

REINFORCED KNOCKDOWN BOX Filed Sept. 6, 1946 I min- AWE-7V? 111..

INVENTOR.

m-To RNEYS.

Patented May 1, 1951 REINFORCED KNO CKDOWN BOX William A. Ringler, Wayne, Pa., assignor to The Gardner Board and Carton 00., a corporation of Ohio Application September 6, 1946, Serial No. 695,084

1 Claim. 1

My invention relates to knock-down or folding paperboard boxes, especially large sized boxes, having a reinforced construction whereby the boxes are made readily able to withstand the strains of handling, shipment and storage, in

spite of contents of considerable bulk and weight.

While the specific size and shape of the box is not a limitation on the invention, I shall describe an exemplary embodiment Which is a two-piece box for folded blankets or similar articles.

Large, knock-down or collapsible boxes have hitherto been made in various constructions for blankets and the like; and the need has been felt for greater strength in such boxes. cannot be met merely by making the box of heavier paperboard, since there is a limit in this direction. With boxes of very large size it is not always practicable to go to various double-wall glued constructions, and little is to be gained in this direction in any event because the point of 2 or stitchin to produce the knock-down form of the structure, and which are easily erected by hand.

It is an object of the invention to attain the advantages above in structures which are economical to produce and to use.

These and other objects of the invention which will be set forth hereinafter or will be apparent to one skilled in the art upon reading these specifications, I accomplish by that construction and 1 arrangement of parts of which I shall now This need 1 7 of the members of my exemplary box.

initial weakness in such boxes is at the corners.

In smaller cartons, particularly of the tubular variety, the use of a separate, interior, reinforcing sleeve has been suggested; but such an ex pedient is not available in the field of this invention. A separate sleeve is not only unsightly, but it has a tendency to come out with the contents. Moreover, in two piece boxes, such a reinforcement can be used only on the inner or bottom part of the structure.

It is an object of this invention to provide a reinforcement applicable both to the top and bottom members, where desired, of a two-piece box, so that the maximum reinforcement can be obtained.

It is an object of my invention to provide a box in which the reinforcement is held captive, is not liable to dislodgement, has no tendency to come out with the contents, and presents no projections to catch upon or tear the contents of the box.

It is an object of my invention to provide a reinforced box which on the inside as well as the outside presents a neat, attractive and finished appearance.

It is an object of my invention to provide a reinforcement which acts to strengthen not only.

the walls of the box but the corners or end edges and the side edges as well.

It is an object of my invention to provide a reinforcement which where desired, becomes an integral element of the structure of the box, having a function in maintaining the box in erected condition and enabling me to use knock-down box structures requiring no initial folding, gluing,

Fig. 21s a plan view of one portion of the reinforcing structure.

Fig. 3 is illustrative of steps in the operation of setting up the reinforcement.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrative of operations in setting up the box element around the reinforcement.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the reinforced 25 box member in fully erected condition.

- and Fig. 6 is a partial sectional view taken along the line 6-6 in Fig. 5. p Fig. '7 is a transverse sectional view taken along the section line 'l'| in Fig. 5. This figure shows also in dotted lines the assembly of both box elements of a two piece box construction.

Referring to Fig. 1, I have shown the blank for the main element of one member of my exemplary two piece box. This blank is made by cutting and scoring (and printing if desired) suitable boxboard in, such fashion as to provide a main panel I to which are articulated end Walls 2 and 3 and side walls4 and 5. The ends of the side and end walls respectively are connected by web members, three of which are shown at 8,1), it). These web members are diagonally scored as shown in dotted lines at l I so that they may fold bellows-wise when the side and end walls are erected with respect to the main panel. To the free edges of the side and end Walls, I articulate relatively narrow flaps l2, I3, 14, and I5 which are provided substantially throughout their length with a series of spaced shallow tongues Hi. It is contemplated that the spaces It will be clear that the blank of Fig. 1 may be erected into box or tray form with the webs folded on their diagonal score lines into triangular ears which can be caused to lie inwardly of the side or end walls as desired. There is however in the structure of Fig. 1 nothing to hold the ibo'x in ferected condition For this purpose, Irely on the coaction of portions of a main box element and an interior reinforcement which takes the form of a band. The band reinforce ment may if desired be made in the form of a one piece tubular element, i. e. a band construction including four enclosing body walls and an et'- tachment means which maybe a glue-flap. For very large boxes a one piece band becomes excessive as to length and involves adifiicult hand or machine tubing operation. For this rea'sbnl prefer to make my band in two or more pieces such as are illustrated in blank form in Fig. 2. Here I have shown a-paperboard member having a side wall portion l8 and an end wall portion [9 in articulation. One of these members has articulated to it anattachment tongue 20 preferably provided with looking tabs while the other portion is provided with locking slits indicated at 21 to accept the tabs. I am not limited to this construction since other engagement means may be employed including the use-of glue tabs and the effecting of union by adhesion, by stitching or'otherwise. It is an advantage 'of my preferred construction that no such operations are required, either in the manufacture of the box or in setting it up. Along one edge of both the side wall If; and the end wall 19, -I articulate flaps 22 and 23. A series of slits or slots 24 of the same length as the tongues 16 are formed at appropriate positions in the side and end walls of the reinforcement and at a distance from their free edges substantially equivalent to the width of the flanges l2, -l3, l4, and Hi. In forming a reinforcing band, two of the membersillustrated in Fig. 2 will be employed, these being joined together in the erected structure after the manner illustrated in Fig. 3, the flanges 22, 23 being bent overas shown.

In setting up the box element, the erected band member may be placed onthe main panel I of the blank of Fig. 1. Then the side and end walls of the blank may be bent upwardly-so :as to parallel and lie against the side and end walls of the reinforcement. The corners will be folded bellows-wise, with the bellows 'folds lying inside theside or end walls of the box. The flanges l2, l3, l4, and l;are bent over inside the corresponding walls of the reinforcement; and "the tongues 16 are inserted through the slits or slots 24 of the reinforcement. This results in maintaining the erected condition of the side and end walls 2, 3, 4, and '5 of the main blank element. The reinforcement thusbecomes an integral part of the structure of the box, serving to maintain its erected condition as well as to provide reinforcement. Adequate reinforcement is provided at the corners of the box because the band is continuous at these portions, and the side and end edges of the box are also reinforced by the band and its flanges 22 and 23. The bellows folds are entirely concealed; the interior construction of the box is neat and finished in appearance, and there is nothing upon which the contents in the can catch. The reinforcement is securely fastened in .place and cannot be dislodged from 'thebox member by handling or by inverting the structure. As a-consequence the same construction may be employed for the top member of a two piece boxwhich will be used in the inverted positionand which will telescope over the bottoih'me'mber. is illustrated in Fig. 7 where a top member is indicated at 25. It may be exactly the same in construction as the bottom member which has been described in detail, differing only in such matters of dimension as will permit the telescoping action aforesaid. 'Modifications may be made in my invention without departing from the spirit of it. Having thus described my invention in one exemplary embodiment, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In combination in a'box, a blank comprising a main panel end and side walls articulated to edges of said main panel, bellows-folding webs connecting ends of the end and side walls respectively, relatively narrow flanges articulated to-theedges of the end and side walls, said flanges 'beari-ng spaced tongues, and a separate reinforcement -in the form of a continuous band having side and end walls corresponding in dimension to the side and end walls of said blank, said reinforcement adapted to rest upon the main panel of said blank about the periphery thereof, the side and end walls of said reinforcement having slits therein to accept said tongues when the flanges are bent over inwardly of the side and end walls of said reinforcement, with said webs folded bellows-wise and disposed between said reinforcement and said-outer side or end walls, said reinforcement through the medium of said tongues and flaps serving to maintain the erected condition of said box.

WILLIAM A. RINGLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the me of this .:patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS dumber Name 'Date 130,963 'Weston -i Aug. 27, 1872 613,468 -Kn0b10h e Jan. 31, 1899 622,. 9 6 'Knobeloch Apr. 4, 1 899 "1,917,496 Claff July 11,193};

2,148,048 Gray Febj2l, 1939 

